The Trump administration has issued a directive requiring all US visa applicants with past travel to the Gaza Strip to undergo social media vetting, according to an internal State Department cable reviewed by Reuters.
The order, dated April 17 and signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, mandates that both immigrant and non-immigrant visa applicants who have been in Gaza since January 1, 2007, be subject to a detailed screening of their social media activity.
The directive includes NGO workers, diplomats, and others who visited the territory in any official or personal capacity.
The cable, distributed to all US diplomatic and consular posts globally, states that if derogatory information tied to national security concerns emerges during the vetting, a Security Advisory Opinion (SAO) must be initiated.
An SAO involves a broader interagency review to assess whether the applicant poses a threat to US interests.
The move is part of the administration’s wider effort to tighten visa policies.
Rubio recently stated that more than 300 visas have already been revoked under provisions of a 1952 law, which allows visa cancellation if an individual is deemed detrimental to US foreign policy.
The policy has drawn criticism from civil liberties groups who argue it infringes on First Amendment rights, particularly for student visa holders.
Several cases have emerged, including the arrest of Turkish student Rumeysa Ozturk, whose visa was revoked over pro-Palestinian advocacy.
Responding to questions about the policy, Rubio said, “Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas,” suggesting more revocations could follow.
The State Department has not commented on the cable or the broader implications of the new policy.
